Becske meditation and retreat center
Becske plays an important role in the Diamond Way Buddhism in Hungary: it is a national retreat centre and a venue for international Buddhist courses. The Diamond Way Buddhist Community purchased part of the site of the centre in 1997. The continuous activity and increase in the number of practitioners in recent years has allowed for the expansion and development of the area. Today, in addition to the nearly 50 hectares of land, which is mainly used for summer courses for thousands of people, there is a stupa and a meditation room for 200 people, as well as houses for retreats. The community has held international Buddhist courses in Bečke every year since 1998, usually attended by thousands of participants. Lopön Chechu Rinpoche, the 17th Karmapa, Taye Dorje, Lama Ole Nydahl and Serab Gyaltsen Rinpoche have also taught here. On Snail Mountain, next to the centre, the community built a stupa under the leadership of Rinpoche Serab Gyalcen in 2008. The stupa can be visited every day of the year.
The importance of Becske
From the very beginning, Becske has been the perfect practice space for communal Buddhist activity, balancing work for the community and friendship. Working together, group meditation and recreation also fosters the growth, friendship and idealism that is the foundation of the Diamond Way. Here, we can practice all of these together in an uninterrupted and joyful way.
Because of the size of the area, there is a lot of work that is ongoing and enthusiastically done to create the conditions together for as many people as possible to connect with our Dharma activities.
There was also an early demand for a stupa and a large gompa where many of us could meditate together.
Independently of each other, Rinpoche Lopon Chechu, Rinpoche Sherab Gyaltsen and Lama Ole all pointed to the same spot where the stupa would be, but until 2008 it seemed like a nice plan.
Every summer since the first course in 1998, hundreds, sometimes thousands of Buddhist friends have attended the teachings of the 17th Karmapa, Löpon Chechu Rinpoche, Serab Gyalcen Rinpoche and Lama Ole (see Summer Courses in Bečke)
All the Hungarian centres are involved in organising the courses, and helpers from neighbouring countries also come to help.
The year-round activity is also increasing, with regular meditation weekends, small courses and centre meetings.
In Becce, there is currently a couple who welcome visitors as permanent residents.
As the activity increases, there are more and more of us, more and more opportunities.
The history of the retreat centre in Becske
In 1997, the Diamond Way Buddhist Community bought its first land in Bečke. After a long search, we found an advertisement offering these lands and properties for sale. It was not easy to get it, because we had to convince the villagers to support our purchase as a second question in the referendum that was organised at the time.
We tried to dispel any misconceptions that we were completely harmless. We also organised a friendly football match with the village, where of course we lost. However, we did win a majority, albeit by a few votes.
We have now established a good relationship with the locals. We participate in the village fairs, invite them to our public performances and occasionally provide them with work.
Our courses have been attended by hundreds – sometimes thousands – of Buddhist friends every summer since 1998, with Lama Ole, Lopon Chechu Rinpoche, 17th Karmapa, Serab Gyalcen Rinpoche. All the Hungarian Sangha (community of practitioners) participate in the organisation of the courses, but also helpers from neighbouring countries come.
The 9-meter-high Enlightenment Stupa on Csiga Mountain was built in 2008 in the space of 9 weeks under the guidance of Rinpoche Serab Gyalcen. The stupa was planned to be erected in Hamburg, but the local government did not allow the construction. We have been grateful to Hamburg ever since.
The Marpa House will be built from 2010. The main activity of the meditation centre is concentrated here, and we can now have up to a hundred people meditating together in the new gompa. Our permanent programme on the third weekend of every month includes the Ngöndro weekend here regularly. And we have also started small courses with great travelling teachers from home and abroad.
We are also increasingly developing the conditions for individual retreats in Becce, currently in the Lama Houses. Our friends who have been authorised by Lama Ole to come on retreat can do so.